


Date Night

by Frangipanidownunder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 00:56:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12287853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frangipanidownunder/pseuds/Frangipanidownunder
Summary: Written for @lokisgame - thanks for the prompt: Don’t tell me you have a date.





	Date Night

She stopped stirring her coffee and looked up at him. He was smirking but there was a flash of something in his eyes. Not quite jealousy, maybe shock, loss even?  
“It’s not something I think we should talk about right now, Mulder. I’m just telling you that I won’t be able to visit next Wednesday.”  
“But Wednesday is Doctor Day, Scully.” He mocked a pout but whipped it away a little too quickly. “Who will I get to take my temperature, if not you?”  
“I’ll leave you my thermometer and you’ll just have to improvise.”  
He ripped off the blood pressure wrap and waggled his eyebrows. She shook her head and tucked the equipment back into her case. The monthly visits she’d arranged after she left had quickly become fortnightly, then weekly. Mulder’s depression waxed and waned according to his will to take his medication and her visit schedule.  
“Where’s he taking you?”  
The breeze caught her hair and she tucked it behind her ears as she stepped on to the porch. “How do you know it’s a he?”  
He smirked again but his shoulders sunk as he shoved his hands in his pockets.  
“See you in fortnight, Mulder.”  
“Not if I see you first, Doctor Scully.”  
She chose the black shift dress. It was simple and form-fitting without being too revealing. She chose costume jewellery in jade green to match the detail on her new Jimmy Choos. Finishing with a black clutch, she took a deep breath as she rechecked the details on the screen.  
Old dog seeks trusty companion to walk through fields. Fixer-upper in need of top-storey maintenance. Responds well to silent gestures. Prone to monstrous outbursts of self-pity and narcissism. Can’t stop. Won’t stop. Might just need to slow down enough to see the nice little forest for the trees.  
She was still smiling when she got to the motel. The sign read ‘Vac…is’ in flickering blue neon, next to the buzzing green of ‘Ohsocosy Budget Motel’. It was every bit as awful as she requested. He was standing in the doorway of unit 42. She gave him a small nod and he motioned her into the room, with a hand on her lower back.  
“Dr Scully,” he said. “You found it okay?”  
“Twenty years together and when have you ever been wrong, Mr Mulder. Not driving anyway,” she smiled. “Your directions were spot on.”  
“So, did you want to continue with the small talk, or chow down? I’ve got the number of the local Chinese takeout here.”  
She giggled. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Mr Mulder.”  
“I brought cutlery and serviettes, Dr Scully. I’m a man of impeccable taste.” He waved theatrically at the table set for two, then smiled at her through watery eyes. He bent forward and kissed her cheek. “And you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t want to lose you.”  
“Dating me might be a good start, Mr Mulder. We never really did that, did we?”  
He shook his head. “Get to know each other again?”  
Her eyes stung and she smiled the tears away. “I’d love that.”  
“Is there anything you would change, this time round?”  
Shaking her head, she smiled. “I wouldn’t change a day. We learned so much together. And I’m pretty sure we can still learn more.”  
He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. He found his glasses and put them on to read.  
“Medical doctor with exceptional ability to second-guess you, cut you short and disarm you. Has no interest in horsehide balls or sticks. Will hold you in contempt. Recovering skeptic. Should stop but probably won’t. Loves sleeping bags and towers of furniture, if you ever want to play.” He paused and looked over his glasses. “Pretty good, Scully.”  
“Better than you expected, or better than you hoped?”  
He laughed. “I have another surprise for you.” He stood up and slipped into the bathroom. He held in his hand a tray containing a bottle of Reisling and a selection of cheeses. He set it down on the table.  
“Pulling out all the stops, Monster-boy.”  
Grinning, he sat back down. “And after, if you’re a good girl, we’ll build that tower of furniture. I packed extra chairs in the car.”  
She took his hand in hers and kissed his knuckles. “You’re a good man, Mulder. I missed you.”  
He took in a shaky breath and kissed her hand too. As she sliced the brie, the noise of rain falling on the flat roof filled the room.  
“If you wanted to stay, I packed sleeping bags too.”


End file.
